Arsenal on guard as Inter Milan hunt Alexander Hleb

The Belarus midfielder has been monitored by Inter all season but this is the first time the Serie A leaders have made their interest public.

Although head coach Robert Mancini is leaving the Italian club this summer he revealed: "We have already spoken about the players the club would like to sign this summer and we are interested in Hleb."

The news will come as a blow to Arsene Wenger, who has repeatedly stressed the importance of keeping his talented young squad together next season.

Arsenal's manager also faces a battle to keep another key midfielder, Mathieu Flamini, away from Serie A after talks stalled over a new contract. Juventus are one of several Italian clubs understood to be keeping tabs on the Frenchman's situation.

Inter have already been linked with one attempt to turn Hleb's head, with the Italian champions reportedly holding a meeting with his agent in March.

Wenger has always insisted Hleb, 26, will stay at the Emirates stadium but Inter are hopeful that Arsenal's failure to win a trophy this season could persuade him to quit.

The Gunners' position is made more vulnerable by the fact that Hleb - who has also been linked with a move to Barcelona - is able to buy out the final year of his contract this summer under Article 17 of FIFA's transfer regulations. Hleb, who signed a four-year deal when he joined Arsenal in 2005, will be a free agent at the end of next season.

The former Stuttgart midfielder has already seen his campaign ended prematurely after admitting an FA charge of violent conduct for slapping Reading defender Graeme Murty in an off-the-ball incident last week.

Hleb has been given a three-match suspension which rules him out of clashes with Derby, Everton and Sunderland.

Team-mate Tomas Rosicky says his knee injury has improved but does not yet know if he will play in Euro 2008. The Arsenal midfielder has been sidelined since January and, although he has yet to return to training, he has not given up hope of appearing for the Czech Republic in Austria and Switzerland this summer. "My injury has again got a bit better," he said.

"We'll see in the days to come [when I can train again]."